This invention relates to an apparatus for selecting and inserting single in-line (SIP) components. Such components have a generally parallelepiped body and have a single series of in-line leads extending from one surface of the body. These components usually have two, four, six or eight leads; but they can have more.
There has been a need for an automatic machine to unload the SIP components from a tube, in which they are generally loaded, and to insert them directly into a printed circuit board without damage to the components.
Further, there has been a need for a machine which will not only insert the components into the printed circuit boards, but also provide some versatility in the manner in which the components are inserted. In other words, there has been a need for a machine which can select components from individual magazine tubes in a predetermined sequence and transfer them to an insertion mechanism; but also a need to provide a machine which can select a group of components which are loaded in a predetermined manner in the magazine tubes and then to step or sequence the components into the insertion mechanism in the order selected.
The apparatus of the present invention can accept tubes of loaded components placed in a predetermined manner and can automatically select the components from said loaded tubes, transfer the components to an unload station, transfer the components from the unload station to an insert position and insert the components into a printed circuit board.
In the random access mode, about twenty-four stick carriers or tubes usually are placed on the machine. A moving shuttle, upon command from a tape reader computer, then goes to a predetermined position and removes a component from the selected magazine by means of a clamping and retrieving assembly. The shuttle then transports the component to an unload station where a component pickup and insertion head picks up the component from the shuttle clamping assembly, rotates to an insert position and inserts the SIP component into a printed circuit board. After pickup of the component from the shuttle is completed, the shuttle retrieves another component from a selected magazine.
The pickup and insertion assembly is rotatable between two positions, horizontal and vertical; and a "race" condition occurs (e.g., a race in time between transport of the shuttle assembly to the unload station and rotation of the pickup and insertion assembly to the horizontal position) with the pickup and insertion assembly always rotated to the horizontal position some time before arrival of the shuttle assembly at the unload station. Upon arrival of the shuttle at the unload station, with the pickup and insertion head assembly in the horizontal position, a vacuum block pickup and insertion device is extended above the component clamping mechanism of the shuttle assembly. The vacuum block makes contact with the top of the component, at which time the clamping arm of the shuttle assembly releases the SIP to the vacuum block and swings out of the way. The pickup and insertion device with a SIP held by the vacuum block then retracts and pivots downwardly to the vertical position, while alignment of the component on the vacuum block is accomplished by grasping the leads of the component with alignment fingers. When the pickup and insertion assembly (with alignment subassembly) is in the vertical position, the alignment fingers are released from the leads of the component and the component is inserted into a printed circuit board. A conventional type of clinching mechanism is provided underneath the board and, upon command, clinches the leads against the board.
This process is repeated until all of the needed components have been inserted into the circuit board, whereupon another board is placed on the pantograph and the cycle is started over. Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide an automatic apparatus for selecting and inserting SIP components into circuit boards.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel shuttle assembly which removes the components from the magazines and transports them to an unload station.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel pickup and insertion mechanism within a single in-line component insertion apparatus.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel shuttle assembly for a random access selection of components in a single in-line component insertion apparatus.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a mechanism having a random access mode.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an automatic SIP component insertion apparatus controlled by a computer or other controlling means.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an alignment sub-assembly for the pickup and insertion assembly, whereby the components are aligned on the vacuum block of the pickup and insertion assembly before insertion into the printed circuit board.